Parenting Teens
Does My Teen Need Therapy?
As a parent, how do you know when your teen may be in need of therapy? It can be a tough call figuring out what is just normal kid stuff and what is a more serious issue that will benefit from working with a professional who specializes in working with teen depression, adolescent anxiety, and school performance issues.
So what do you look for as a parent to help you teenager get all the help they need.
1. Check in with your teenager regularly, talking to them about what’s going on in their day and noticing if any concerns arise for either you or them.
2. If you do have concerns check in with their school counselor or a trusted teacher and find out if they have noticed anything that seems out of the ordinary.
3. Notice any shifts in behavior that are out of the ordinary: are they suddenly not talking to any friends, have their eating habits shifted, do they spend a lot of time alone, are they unable to sleep.
4. Communication in the family has shut down and either your teen is silent or family fighting becomes the norm.
These signs are a clue that something is going on and working with a therapist can help to relieve the chaos in the house and assist your teenager in figuring out what they want from life.
Your teen may not want to talk with family or friends at this time but may feel more comfortable speaking about things with a trained counselor who is not caught up in the drama.
A therapist who specializes in adolescent issues will assist your teen to find their way through their problems, bring more peace into the house, and help parents and teens understand each other better so they can enjoy growing up together.